1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a lock mechanism permitting the anchoring of a well tool, such as a flow control device, in any selected one of a plurality of identical nipples incorporated in the tubing string.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art has recognized the desirability of permitting oil well tools, such as flow control devices, to be located and locked in any selected one of a plurality of vertical positions in a tubing string. Prior art selective locking devices have employed a complex running tool to insert and actuate the locking mechanism to engage in the proper locking recess in the tubing string. This necessarily required the incorporation of shiftable elements, retaining springs and the like in the running tool and hence added to the expense of such tool and detracted from the reliability of the tool in effecting the selective locking of a well tool in a desired position along a tubing string. Still other locking devices employ no-go shoulders which constrict the bore of the tubing string.
Typical of prior art selective locking devices employing a no-go shoulder in each of the landing nipples is the mechanism described and illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,295,528 and assigned to the Assignee of this application. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,677,346 and 3,670,821 each disclose selective locks which rely to a significant extent upon utilization of a specialized running tool.
The locking assembly disclosed herein can be actuated using conventional running and pulling tools. These conventional running and pulling tools comprise tools capable of imparting only simple up or down axial movement to wireline actuable tools such as locks. Shear pins interconnecting these conventional running tools are also employed with these shear pins being capable of transferring sufficient force to the wireline tools to permit desired manipulation. After this desired manipulation is complete, application of additional force will shear the pins and release the wireline tool from the running tool for removal.